Side Scanning Sonar

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Papillon

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C Dory Year
1993
C Dory Model
22 Angler
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DOR22627I293
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Papillon
In another thread running here reference was made to SSS (Side Scanning Sonar) which peaked my interest.

Over the past few weeks I have been hearing locals talk about the Hummingbird Side Imaging Sonar that is on the market. It has been around for about a year is my understanding.

I was wondering if any of our C-Dory Fishing Fleet had any first hand knowledge pretaining to these units and could provide us with some feeback.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRWQugM8NGw

http://www.abesofmaine.com/item.do?item=HUM4069701VCHO&id=HUM4069701VCHO&l=FROOGLE
 
There is a Yahoo forum dedicated to the Hummingbird side scan units. They are somewhat limited in depth--and are truely--side scan--not foreward scan.
Generally the results are good, up to 150 feet--better in fresh than salt water. I have not personally owned a unit, but have been on the list for about 2 years. If I was interested in fishing structure, I would buy one, but not for navigation.
 
I've got the Humminbird 797 with the side imaging and gps. I've had it about two years and have been pretty happy with it. I got it with the preloaded charts which are pretty good. I really haven't spent much time with the side imaging but it takes a while to determine what you are actually looking at. I think the newer models show a little more detail than mine does. There's actually a humminbird forum that has a lot of info on it. With mine you have to go pretty slow to get a good read. I can find crab traps and structure pretty easy but I've not really been able to identify fish or bait pods as some say they can. I think the larger screen of the 900 series would be much better. As far as Humminbird themselves they have great customer service. As Bob mentions I don't know how good they are at anything over about 50 feet I'm rarely in water deeper than that.
 
About 15 years ago a became a dealer for a company that had started making side scan at a reasonable price (about $1,500 at the time). That was when the only other units were about 10k. This one had a foot that you mounted on the back of the boat and lowered when you wanted to use it. The max speed with it down was about 5mph. The thing worked very well but it was a brain teaser to get your mind to "see" what the display was showing you. The useful range on that unit was about 200 feet to each side. In this part of the world a charter boat lives and dies by what artificial reef he makes and/or finds. I found a lot with that unit. Enough that it would have been worth buying if I had not gotten on for free.
At the time, I also did dive charters. It was great for that. A lot of our dive spots were very small, a single car body. I would try to anchor right on the wreck but sometimes even I would mess up an miss the spot :o . When visibility might be only 10 to 15 feet it was not unusual for a diver to go down and never even find the wreck. When you only get two dives on a trip this was not good for paying customers. With the sid scan I could pinpoint the wreck and tell the exactly where it was. I could also track my divers. That was cool 8) "What the hell is he doing over there? I told him to go down the anchor line and look to the right 20 feet." He goes left and couldn't figure out why all he found was sand dollars. But they were very nice sand dollars.

I am sure they have improved over the years and Hummingbird is a very good company.
 
I have also been wondering how side scan would work for sturgeon in NorCal. Haven't found any experience yet.
 
Thank you gentlemen for your insight. My interest is for seeing more detail on the bottom pertaining to reefs, wrecks, and a good ole fashion fish count before gearing up for a dive on the site.

Now if I can wait out the R&D side of the retail price to decline...maybe in the market to look at these units with a serious intent to buy in about 2 years. By then I can have all the improvements paid for by those who have gone before me.
 
Mike , all my dive buddies have the Humminbirds . They swear by them . I f I ever set up my C Dory 22 as a dive machine, it will have one on it .
Marc
 
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